🔗 Share this article

For many people who has spent a long time renting, staring at the same landlord-approved magnolia walls and yearning for adding some actual personality to their home, Pantone's latest Colour of the Year might be perceived as a personal attack.

This year, the renowned color company has chosen a shade of white as its flagship hue.

More specifically, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "airy" which "acts as a symbol of tranquility in a society rediscovering the value of stillness".

It marks the first time a pure white has been picked as the Colour of the Year, and it has sparked considerable debate.

Per Pantone, Cloud Dancer "is not just a colour, it's a mindset" and signifies a shared urge to slow down, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of visual overload.

But some critics have branded the decision as "insensitive", arguing that elevating sparse and pristine white spaces can feel disconnected from the smaller, lived-in homes everyday individuals inhabit.

Additional critics argue that presenting white as aspirational risks racial undertones, causing discomfort amid current societal discussions about inclusion and diversity.

Soothing or Stark?

Designer One design critic says the counter-reaction goes beyond surface appeal, noting that white bears deeper meanings and is seldom a neutral choice.

"The color white sends a message," he says, shaped by a decade of sparse star homes – most notably Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to epitomize "affluence, order and distance from disorder".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to cause upset", with Cloud Dancer representing "restraint, virtuous simplicity and the idea that impartiality denotes goodness".

Beaumont cites the pandemic as a defining period in how people relate to their homes.

"Overnight they transformed into our workspaces, refuges and sources of stability," he says, adding that against this backdrop, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness seems rather tone-deaf".

Rather than providing calm, he contends white now threatens to heightening "a sense of desolation", particularly when paired with cool, clinical lighting.

'Hospital Vibes'

An interior designer, a UK-based interior designer, concurs and says Cloud Dancer "doesn't really read as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

Although it may suit extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely create calm in real homes.

"What looks serene in a styled shoot can readily feel sterile at home," she explains.

"White can feel harsh and demanding and you don't want your home to emit a medical atmosphere."

She continues that "homes should spark joy and be inviting and welcoming, and this hue seems quite distant from that."

Beaumont hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in preference for "unabashed joyful interior design", using colour to express individuality.

The vice president of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was chosen as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a refined neutrality that feels deliberate and adaptable".

Beginning in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has evolved into a powerful trend indicator.

Previous selections have featured the hopefulness of a vibrant pink-orange, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of a bold pink-red, and more recently softer, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These hues don't just live on style predictions - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, packaging and even technology, influencing how products are marketed and how consumers envision the year ahead.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may seem simple, "this particular shade seems gentle and elegant rather than stark".

Contrary to those who say the colour is dull, Robinson sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "bedrooms and living areas where you want a peaceful, calming ambiance".

"Should you prefer not to repaint, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and curtains."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was surprised that Pantone's selection this year was "essentially the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "it is universally accepted but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work particularly well as a background for architectural details like panelling and curved entries which is a "rising style in modern homes".

In fashion, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it presents a different challenge to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Fashion consultant Oriona Robb says championing white seems "not focused on newness and more about intention", indicating a shift towards sophistication after years of fad saturation.

"White forces designers and wearers alike to concentrate on form, proportion and craftsmanship, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also carries presumptions around body confidence, way of life and privilege, saying: "When white is viewed as something only a limited subset of people can wear well, it becomes exclusionary."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the problematic connotations associated with lauding white as an aspirational standard, especially during ongoing conversations about inclusion and approachability, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that nuance honestly, or simply glamorize the colour".

A Societal Shift, Not a Fad

Style consultant Katie Malik concedes the choice at first surprised her, given Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it reflects a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury